Top 10 Trends in Brazil Biofuels for 2014

After the inter-harvest season, what’s up in the Big South?

Brazil’s on the move on a number of fronts — sales, diversification of products and feedstocks, and even in engine development. Let’s look at the Top 10 Trends.

1. Feedstock Diversification

If you thought it was all cane, cane, cane, think again. There’s a lot of movement on sorghum, and castor beans — and even some on corn.

Sorghum: The biggest news of late was from NexSteppe, which reported this week that it sold more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of its Palo Alto high biomass sorghums for biopower in Brazil this past growing season. This makes it the market share leader in the fast-growing market for bioenergy sorghums in Brazil, with 65 percent market share.

Yields vary by location, but NexSteppe CEO Anna Rath told the Digest that “50-60 wet tons or ~25 dry tons per hectare is a conservative expectation under “ordinary” conditions.”

NexSteppe’s Palo Alto high biomass sorghums can be used alongside bagasse and other sources of biomass to provide a source of renewable power. Unlike wind and solar, biopower is baseload power, meaning it is available 24/7. In addition to production of electricity for the grid, biopower can therefore also be used as onsite industrial power. This is common practice in Brazil for everything from sugar and ethanol production to grain drying to food processing.

As a result of the significant drought this year, Brazil is experiencing a shortage of hydropower, its main energy source. Because of their heat and drought tolerance, Palo Alto hybrids performed well even under this year’s extreme conditions. Standing at up to 20 feet tall after only four months of growth, NexSteppe’s Palo Alto high biomass sorghum hybrids provide a high-yielding, low-cost, high quality biomass feedstock for biopower. Designed to have low moisture levels at maturity, Palo Alto high biomass sorghums offer reduced harvest and transport costs and greater energy production.

Market growth expectations for NexSteppe in Brazil? “As for next season,” Rath told the Digest, “all I can tell you at this point is that we’ve had multiple customers indicate interest in increasing their areas 8-10 fold from what was planted this year.

Under the renewed agreement, Syngenta and Ceres will continue to collaborate on field evaluations with mills. Syngenta will evaluate its portfolio of crop protection products alongside Ceres hybrids, while Ceres will provide both seed and research support. Both companies will coordinate outreach to ethanol mills and develop industry training programs. Syngenta indicated that it plans to move forward with its evaluations aimed at registering additional crop protection products for sorghum.

Curiously, U.S. ethanol giant POET is investigating its options in the Deep South. In February, it was reported that POET representatives met with the government of Mato Grosso do Sul last Friday where local officials pointed towards a $350 million corn-based ethanol project. The facility would produce 50 million liters of ethanol per year from 350,000 metric tons of corn.

Under the terms of the agreement, Evofuel will provide SLC with seeds of its proprietary castor bean varieties and SLC will be responsible for growing the crop on its farms in northeast Brazil. The resulting castor bean grain will be sold to local oil producers to address the industry need for castor oil. The agreement provides for the allocation between SLC and Evofuel of revenues from sales of castor bean grain.

Last month, the Commerzbank, Inter-American Development Bank and Banco Pine S.A. closed a $115 million syndicated A/B loan to expand access to financing for environmentally sustainable projects in Brazil. The Green Line Finance Partnership entails a $75 million A loan from the IDB and $40 million B loan from Commerzbank.

With the demand for energy for both domestic and industrial purposes expected to expand 60 percent by 2021, Brazil’s energy matrix will likely shift toward a higher concentration of renewable energies, most notably energy from sugar cane derivatives and other renewables such as wind energy, small hydroelectric plants and biomass.

The Green Line Finance Partnership with Banco Pine will increase access to adequate financing for transactions, particularly in renewable energy sectors that promote environmentally sustainable initiatives and reduce the impact on climate change in Brazil.

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2 Comments

Excellent article on Biofuel trends in Brazil. In the present debate Food Vs Fuel, people are looking for alternatives. In Mexico Agave and Opuntia are promoted in a big way for Biofuel/biogas and subsequent power generation.
The main drawback for wider application of Biofuels is input. There was a big movement for biofuel from Jatropha in India but in reality not much has been achieved. Agave(Americana),Sisal Agave is a multiple use plant which has 10% fermentable sugars and rich in cellulose. The fibre is used in rope making and also for weaving clothes in Philippines under the trade name DIP-DRY. In Brazil a paper factory runs on sisal as input. A Steroid HECOGENIN is extracted from this plant leaves. Since on putrification,it produces methane gas, it can be cut and used as input in biogas plants. Also in Kenya and Lesotho dried pieces of Agave are mixed with concrete since it has fibres which act as binding. Here is an excellent analysis on Agave as a biofuel: Agave shows potential as biofuel feedstock, Checkbiotech, By Anna Austin, February 11, 2010: 'Mounting interest in agave as a biofuel feedstock could jump-start the Mexican biofuels industry, according to agave expert Arturo Valez Jimenez. Agave thrives in Mexico and is traditionally used to produce liquors such as tequila. It has a rosette of thick fleshy leaves, each of which usually end in a sharp point with a spiny margin. Commonly mistaken for cacti, the agave plant is actually closely related to the lily and amaryllis families. The plants use water and soil more efficiently than any other plant or tree in the world, Arturo said. 'This is a scientific factthey don't require watering or fertilizing and they can absorb carbon dioxide during the night,' he said. The plants annually produce up to 500 metric tons of biomass per hectare, he added. Agave fibers contain 65 percent to 78 percent cellulose, according to Jimenez. 'With new technology, it is possible to breakdown over 90 percent of the cellulose and hemicellulose structures, which will increase ethanol and other liquid biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass drastically,' he said. 'Mascoma is assessing such technology.' Another plant of great use is OPUNTIA for biogas production. The cultivation of nopal((OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA), a type of cactus, is one of the most important in Mexico. According to Rodrigo Morales, Chilean engineer, Wayland biomass, installed on Mexican soil, 'allows you to generate inexhaustible clean energy.' Through the production of biogas, it can serve as a raw material more efficiently, by example and by comparison with jatropha. Wayland Morales, head of Elqui Global Energy argues that 'an acre of cactus produces 43 200 m3 of biogas or the equivalent in energy terms to 25,000 liters of diesel.' With the same land planted with jatropha, he says, it will produce 3,000 liters of biodiesel. Another of the peculiarities of the nopal is biogas which is the same molecule of natural gas, but its production does not require machines or devices of high complexity. Also, unlike natural gas, contains primarily methane (75%), carbon dioxide (24%) and other minor gases (1%), 'so it has advantages from the technical point of view since it has the same capacity heat but is cleaner, 'he says, and as sum datum its calorific value is 7,000 kcal/m3. Biogas power generators from KW to MW size are available from China and Vietnam. Agave and Opuntia can be grown on a massive scale in wastelands in developing countries.

The cultivation of nopal((OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA), a type of cactus, is one of the most important in Mexico. According to Rodrigo Morales, Chilean engineer, Wayland biomass, installed on Mexican soil, “allows you to generate inexhaustible clean energy.” Through the production of biogas, it can serve as a raw material more efficiently, by example and by comparison with jatropha.

Wayland Morales, head of Elqui Global Energy argues that “an acre of cactus produces 43 200 m3 of biogas or the equivalent in energy terms to 25,000 liters of diesel.” With the same land planted with jatropha, he says, it will produce 3,000 liters of biodiesel.

Another of the peculiarities of the nopal is biogas which is the same molecule of natural gas, but its production does not require machines or devices of high complexity. Also, unlike natural gas, contains primarily methane (75%), carbon dioxide (24%) and other minor gases (1%), “so it has advantages from the technical point of view since it has the same capacity heat but is cleaner, “he says, and as sum datum its calorific value is 7,000 kcal/m3.

Javier Snchez et al in their extensive study on Opuntia as potential input for bioethanol concluded:

“Prickly pear is a widely-known crop in the SE of Spain, where it is currently used for forage, fodder and fruit. Now it is being considered as a potential crop for bioethanol production from its whole biomass. In order to estimate the potential bioethanol production in the province of Almeria (SE-Spain) and the optimal location of bioethanol processing plants, a GIS analysis involving a predictive yield model of prickly

pear biomass was undertaken following specific restriction criteria. According to this analysis, the total potential bioethanol production in Almeria would be up to 502,927.8 t dm•year–1 from 100,616 ha maximum that could be cultivated with prickly pear, with a calculated yield ranging between 4.2 and 9.4 t dm•ha–1•year–1. An exclusive suitability analysis and a preferable suitability analysis based on the

Analytic Hierarchy Process were performed in order to estimate the optimal location of the subsequent processing plants within Almeria’s road network by a discrete location-allocation model.”(Javier Snchez , Francisco Snchez , Mara Dolores Curt & Jess Fernndez (2012) Assessment of the bioethanol potential of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) biomass obtained from regular crops in the province of Almeria (SE Spain), Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 60:3, 301-318).
Agave is a CAM Plant. Crassulacean acid metabolism, also known as CAM photosynthesis, is a carbon fixation pathway that evolved in some plants as an adaptation to arid conditions in a plant using full CAM, the stomata in the leaves remains shut during the day to reduce evapotranspiration, but open at night to collect carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 is stored as the four-carbon acidmalate, and then used during photosynthesis during the day. The pre-collected CO2 is concentrated around the enzyme RuBisCO, increasing photosynthetic efficiency. Agave and Opuntia are the best CAM Plants.

Agave Competitive Advantages

* Thrives on dry land/marginal land. Most efficient use of soil, water and light
* Massive production. Year-around harvesting
* Very high yields with very low or no inputs
* Very high quality biomass and sugars
* Very low cost of production. Not a commodity, so prices are not volatile
* Very versatile: biofuels, byproducts, chemicals
* World-wide geographical distribution
* Enhanced varieties are ready.

Another care-free growth plant is OPUNTIA.

Biogas from Opuntia

A source of renewable gas and fertilizer

Structure of the proposed process

1st step: Production of Biomass (Opuntia)
2nd step: Process of the Biomass into Biogas through Anaerobic Fermentation
3rd step: Process of the Digested Material into Fertilizer
The potential of Opuntia Biomass for energy production in semi-arid areas
100 to 400 tons of biomass/ha/year
1 ton Opuntia biomass = 50-60 m3 of biogas = 300-360 kWh of gas
30 000 to 140 000 kWh per ha
150 to 400ha necessary for 1MW electrical capacity
High efficiency in water & fertilizer use
Reduced risk for farmers of crop failure due to high drought tolerance. No competition with food crops on arable land as it can grow on degraded land.
Study on renewable biogas energy production from cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica by Elias Jigar, Hameed Sulaiman and Araya Asfaw and Abraham Bairu (ISABB Journal of Food and Agriculture Science Vol. 1(3), pp. 44-48, December 2011) revealed:
Cladodes, which are a plate like section of Opuntia ficus indica, were characterized for their physical properties, total solids (TS) and volatile solides (VS) and they were assessed in five combinations with or without cow dung for their suitability to biogas production in 2.8 L triplicate batch digesters. The highest total biogas yields were obtained from T5 (75% Cow dung: 25% Cladodes combination) as 14.183 L followed by T1 (cow dung alone) as 13.670 L (0 .022 m3/kg) and the lowest was from T2 (Cladodes alone) as 6.176 L. The percentage of methane gas obtained from the experiment for treatments T1, T2, T3 (50% cow dung: 50% cladodes), T4 (25% cow dung: 75% Cladodes) and T5 were 66.33, 53.16, 63.84, 52.1 and 69% respectively. Among all treatments, T5 was found to produce high methane percent of the biogas.
The cactus is a hardy plant that tolerates poor soil nutrient and water shortages , but can also be grown in good soils and irrigation system.
The nopal is of important ecological role , as it helps to stop the degradation of deforested land , help to conserve soil moisture and prevent erosion. It also allows converting unproductive land into productive , given its resistance to extreme conditions . In many poor areas of poverty or extreme weather countries and nopal has acclimated and alleviates suffering and shortages faced by farmers.
In Mexico nopales production reaches 600,000 tons. Meanwhile, the prickly pear , there are 5000 hectares cultivated and 3 million hectares of wild exploitation of it.
There is an extensive culinary cactus , which is consumed in many forms in Mexico : pickled , salted, boiled , roasted , stewed , with eggs, in soups, with beans, jams, juices , etc .
It is estimated that the annual intake per capita in Mexico is 6.4 Kg
Moreover , today it is also used in shampoos, hand and body cream , soaps , ointments, various cosmetics , has also been investigated for commercial use for the development of biofuel, bioplastics production of vinyl paints , enamels and waterproofing .
Nopal slobber (obtained by soaking in water) as a fixative for whitewashing walls are also used . Diego Rivera coated with slime nopal some of his murals for conservation.
Inedible species of cactus are used to produce rubber , latex , mucilage , waterproofing and anticorroisivas substances , and as biomaterial useful for removing lead from water, for its acoustic qualities woody stem tissue of mature cactus is used in Japan to develop electronic musical equipment speakers .
NUTRITIONAL CONTENT NOPAL
Nopal contains calcium , iron, aluminum , magnesium, potassium , silica , sodium and manganese.
It also contains vitamin A, B1 , B2 and C.
It is rich in fiber, which is composed of complex polysaccharides .
It is also rich in amino acids, contains 17 of the 22 amino acids.
NUTRITIONAL CONTENT 100 GR . FRESH NOPAL .
WATER 91.33 %
1.33 % PROTEIN
CARBOHYDRATES 4.2 %
SOLUBLE FIBER 1.02 %
SOLUBLE FIBER 2.13 %
FAT 0.08 %
VITAMIN C 2.58 MG
VITAMIN A 3.76 MG
CALCIUM 97.87
PHOSPHORUS 9.37
IRON 0.34
POTASSIUM 94.88
SODIUM 4.81
ZINC 0.25
From Biogas, Power generation can be done at local level itself.
Another Option is to utilize Water Hyacinth which has become a menace for Biogas and subsequent power generation. In Indonesia Fine Furniture is made from Water Hyacinth.
Agave and Opuntia can be cultivated on a massive scale in developing countries likeBrazil, India and in Africa and Latin America in waste lands.
Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India
Renewable Energy Specialist
E-mail: anumakonda.jagadeesh@gmail.com

Only Wastes should be, or need to be used for fuels. We MUST not lock ourselves into fuels that compete for food, clothing and lumber, we are setting ourselves up for disaster.

Waste to fuels allows use to use the land for food, clothing, and lumber, then eventually when we through it out, use it for energy. What a deal!

Slight nit pick with this article: Baseload isn't what you think. Baseload means it has to run all the time near full capacity or it break and loses money, that's basically coal and nuclear. That is NOT what we need. Demand varies and is unpredictable, and solar and wind vary somewhat less and it's predicable.

We need dispatachable electricity, not baseload. Call it on demand electricity, but don't call it baseload. Baseload is a limitation of old inflexible power plants, not a feature.

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